“Ladies wanted, they must be young and good looking. We pay 1,500-2,000 Soles per week. Nice treatment.” lmage from Peruvian Ministry of Internal Affairs Twitter account, widely shared online.

The Peruvian Ministry of Internal Affairs honored National Prevention of Human Trafficking Day on September 23 with the launch of a campaign titled “Que no te encuentren” (Don't let them find you), aiming to counter human trafficking in Peru.

The concept involved the creation of a ‘fake’ job offer similar to baits used by criminal organizations to seduce young people. This youth-targeted strategy trended heavily on social networks and a statement from the Ministry of Interior explains:

The initiative […used] job postings on diverse newspapers, as well as posters placed in public spots in [different] districts in [Lima].

For four days, a thousand individuals inquired about the job offers through WhatsApp mesages and phone calls. The adverts were posted with no other information than “Ladies Wanted” and “Young Men Wanted,” and the amounts of the payments, between S/1.500 and S/2.000.

Thirty individuals were convened, [to be interviewed] at an establishment that acted as a work agency […]. Plain-clothed female police officers impersonated job interviewers and proposed the young candidates to travel without warning their parents and giving away their ID cards.

Twenty five of them accepted the proposal.

In Peru, the minimum wage is 850 Soles per month or a little over 260 USD whereas this ‘fake’ job offered between 1,200-2,000 Soles (370-610 USD). It was indeed appealing especially to young people living in populous areas where the job adverts were posted. Many young people responded innocently in search of work.

Once the alleged job interview was over, the officers let the candidates know it was all part of a campaign “No dejes que te encuentren” (Don't let them find you), to demonstrate how traffickers capture their victims.